Shambolic organisation plagues lunar new year festivals

Despite efforts made by local authorities, cheating and price gouging have continued at lunar new year festivals across the country. Flows of people coming to Huong pagoda festival Taking advantage of long holiday, thousands of people have flocked to major festivals. Serious overcrowding and other public safety issues were recorded at festivals at the Huong Pagoda of Hanoi’s My Duc District and Phu Giay in Nam Dinh Province’s Vu Ban District. The Huong Pagoda festival opened on the sixth day of the lunar year. The three month long festival marked the start of series of events which comprise of the national tourism year in Red River Delta – Haiphong region. Nguyen Chi Thanh, head of the Huong Son management board said over 50,000 visitors attended the opening ceremony this year. 250,000 people visited the site during the first few days of the event and a total of 1.5 million visitors is expected this year. Around 4,800 boats were put in use to serve visitors. Many visitors however complained that they were overcharged for food, with even a basic bowl of noodles costing up to VND70,000 (USD3.30). Drink prices were double or triple their normal prices. Small money and salt were still sprayed uncontrollably at some points around the pagoda. However, the situation was allegedly better than compared to the previous years. Late last year, the Ministry of Health requested food traders to intensify food hygiene standards and they expressed concern over the sale of porcupine, squirrel, deer and rabbit at… [Read full story]

Hundreds of photos featuring the beauty of roses and of women are on display at the festival. (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) - A
special ao dai (traditional dress) collection by designer Vu
Viet Ha, inspired by roses to honour Vietnamese women’s beauty, was presented
at the opening ceremony of a rose festival in Hanoi on October 14.
Hundreds of visitors rushed
to the festival at Thang Long Rose Park, the first of its kind in the capital,
which runs until October 22.
Dao Manh
Hung, the park’s director, said the event will help participants learn about
the history…... [Read more]

I will both work and enjoy Tet holiday in VietnamRegional Technical Advisor, Southeast Asia Region Pharmaceutical Management for Management Sciences for Health (MSH), a nonprofit organisation strengthening health programmes worldwide, Andy Barraclough spoke to VOVNews on his way to celebrate the Tet holiday in Vietnam. Dr Barraclough said he spent only one year living and working in Vietnam. However, he has been in Asia for more than 20 years and his wife is Thai so he was very familiar with Lunar New Year Festival. Last Tet holiday he was in Indonesia for his relief programme. He plans to enjoy this Tet in…... [Read more]

The number of tourists coming to Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa on Lunar New Year Festival (Tet) 2014 is forecast to rise sharply. Local hotels and tourist spots are preparing many interesting activities to serve tourists on this occasion. Numerous visitors to come Nha Trang Some big hotels in Nha Trang such as Novotel, Michelia, Yasaka-Saigon-Nhatrang, Sheraton Nha Trang, Hai Au and Ana Mandara have been booked during the time from the 2nd and 5th of the first lunar month (February 1 – 4). Most of the guests are foreigners on winter vacation and Vietnamese people on Lunar New…... [Read more]

The Overseas Vietnamese Association in France will celebrate the forthcoming 2010 Lunar New Year Festival on February 6 at UNESCO’s headquarters in Paris, said the State Committee for Overseas Vietnamese Affairs. With the theme, “1,000 years of Thang Long-Hanoi”, the festival will include a full music programme including an opera about Vietnam’s history.Source: VOV Apart from classical and popular music, the organising board will set aside a space where the elderly can reminisce about their homeland as well as another for children where they can play traditional games, to help overseas Vietnamese kids understand the origins of their nation more…... [Read more]

Prime Minster Phan Van Khai met with media workers on the traditional Lunar New Year Festival (Tet) in Hanoi on January 25.Addressing the meeting, Mr Khai praised media workers for upholding their role, fulfilling all their assigned tasks in promulgating the Party and State’s guidelines and policies and serving as a bridge between people and the Party.The press is an important mass medium that helps the Prime Minister and the Government control socio-economic activities, devise measures to boost production and combat bureaucracy and corruption.Mr Khai also hailed the press circle for disseminating information about the major national celebrations such as…... [Read more]